William Talbot
He was a boot and shoe maker.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
William Talbot was born on 15th June 1871 at Nottingham. He was the son of William Talbot, a shoe maker, and Elizabeth Talbot (née Hughes) of Radford, Nottingham.
His father William was born in 1826 at East Markham and died in 1908 aged 82 yrs. His mother Elizabeth Hughes was born in 1832 at Nottingham; she died in 1901 aged aged 69 yrs. They were married on 17th May 1848 at St Stephen's Church, Sneinton, Nottingham, and had 12 children, including William.
William was the husband of Nellie (Ellen) Gardener, born 1872 Nottingham. They were married on 18th January 1888 at Nottingham and lived at 8 Wrigley's Terrace St Ann's Well Road Nottingham. They had two children, Richard Talbot born 1890 and Wallace Henry born 1892, died 1894.
In the 1911 census the family are living at 12 Peas Hill Road, St Ann's Nottingham. William Talbot 40 yrs is a boot and shoe maker, he is living with his wife Ellen 39 yrs and their son Richard 20 yrs single a labourer.
Private William Talbot served with the Sherwood Foresters Regiment before transferring to Royal Marines Light Infantry, Chatham Battalion.
William enlisted on 9 September 1914 and transferred to RMLI on 16 September 1914 on a short-service engagement.
He joined the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force for Gallipoli on 6 February 1915 and on 9 May 1915 suffered gunshot wounds to the left shoulder, side and face. William was invalided to the UK on 2 July 1915. He died from his wounds and of disease on 20 February 1916 and is interred in Gillingham (Woodland) Cemetery, Kent (grave ref. Naval. 22. 1144). The history of the Cemetery suggests that he was being treated at the Royal Naval Hospital, Windmill Road, Gillingham, at the time of his death.
He qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The Royal Naval Hospital, Gillingham, opened in 1905. It transferred to the NHS in 1961 and was renamed 'Medway Maritime Hospital in 1999. (www.medway.nhs.uk/about-us/our-history)
CWGC History of Gillingham (Woodland) Cemetery, Kent (extract): 'Gillingham (Woodlands) Cemetery contains 837 burials and commemorations of the First World War, 82 of these burials are unidentified. There is a large naval section in Gillingham (Woodlands) Cemetery which was reserved by the Admiralty and served the Royal Naval Hospital in Windmill Road ... The section contains most of the war graves as well as burials of the pre-war and inter-war years.' (www.cwgc.org)
Talbot was one of 'Kitchener's Marines' who were transferred from the Sherwood Foresters to the RMLI. Des Turner notes '600 RMLI transfers came from 2 regiments - 200 from the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) and 400 from the Sherwood Foresters. They were predominantly ex-miners and labourers, fit men wanted for their ability to dig trenches and tunnels. The 200 KOYLI recruits were transferred to Plymouth Division RMLI and were given service numbers PLY/1(S) to PLY200(S). This was also the case for the Sherwood Foresters 200 who were dispatched to Portsmouth where already 30 men were recruited and so they became PO/31(S) to PO/230(S). 200 remaining Foresters went to Chatham and were numbered CH/1 to CH/200(S).'
His son, Private Richard Talbot, served with the 1st Battalion Border Regiment. He was killed in action on 1 July 1916, the first day of the battle of the Somme, and is buried in Y Ravine Cemetery Beaumont-Hamel. (See record on this Roll of Honour)
Nottingham Evening Post, 8 March 1916. Photograph with caption, 'Pte W Talbot, RMLI, Wrigley’s Terrace, St Ann’s Well Road, Nottingham, died February 20th of wounds received in Gallipoli.' (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 22 & 23 February 1916: ‘Talbot. On the 20th, from wounds received in Dardanelles, William Talbot, late of Wrigley’s-terrace, St Ann’s Well-road. From wife and sisters.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 23 February 1916: ‘Talbot. On the 20th, Wm Talbot RM Gillingham Hospital, Chatham, from effect of wounds received in action. Interment Chatham, Wednesday 3pm. From his loving nephews and nieces.’
(www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Additional research and information Peter Gillings.
Wiliam Talbot
Nottingham Evening Post, 8 March 1916. Courtesy Jim Grundy facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918